The Perfect Gift
by ilovetvalot
Summary: It's a Hotch/Reid Christmas story! Hope you enjoy!


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**_A special note to my readers...as Christmas draws nearer, so does my husband's return from the war zone in Afghanistan. This said, posts will be slowing DRAMATICALLY after the holiday. Bear with me. Slower updates are expected to last approximately a month. But, real life and a family reconnection will take precedence. I'm sure you all understand. But, take heart, a happy hubby makes an energetic writer._**

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_**Because I don't say it often enough, nothing would happen in these stories without my wonderful co-author and friend, tonnie2001969. Too often, the author name ilovetvalot is mistaken for just one person. There are two of us. Tonnie2001969 collaborates on every single one of these stories and I can't say ENOUGH wonderful things about this woman!**_

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**The Perfect Gift**

What I'd REALLY like is Reid/Morgan or Reid/Hotch, with "Do You Hear What I Hear?"; Christmas shopping; putting up Christmas lights; a kiss under mistletoe. Would love delicious slashy smut, but will be happy with fluffy romance, lol.

The Perfect Gift

Lips twitching as he watched his lover navigate the many holiday shoppers meandering aimlessly through the busy mall two Saturdays before Christmas, Aaron Hotchner knew without a doubt that this was one morning he was grateful that he hadn't forgotten to take his vitamins. Because it was becoming glaringly obvious that he was going to need every ounce of his energy to keep up with the young man that had slowly brought his family back to life.

They'd been at this a mere two hours, but already his feet ached as he trudged after Dr. Spencer Reid. Not content to merely window shop, no, his genius insisted on exploring every nook and cranny of each store he deigned to walk into, ardently insisting that the best gifts often were found accidently during the course of his wandering tours of the establishment.

And because this was Reid's first Christmas with him and Jack, Aaron was making an effort to supportively fill the role of attentive shopping companion. But, as he struggled to maintain his hold on the seven shopping bags he held, hitching them up once again, he felt his holiday spirit waning. "You know, there are still fourteen shopping days until Christmas, Spencer," Aaron pointed out as he quickened his footsteps to keep up with the eager man. "Plenty of time for us to come back and finish up," he offered, wincing as another shopper bumped his arm in passing. "After all, we only have a few more gifts to pick up, right?"

"By my last calculation, seventeen gifts," Spencer replied automatically, automatically shifting out of the way of a small family ambling toward them.

"That's not so bad. We could..."

"Based on the knowledge that our stand down concludes tomorrow at midnight and we could be called away on a case until Christmas Eve, I think our best option would be to remain on the current shopping course," Reid countered sternly as he shook his head. "Especially since there is a seventy-three percent statistical chance that we will be called away on a case within the first seventy-two hours. Add that to the fact that we don't have Jack back from his sleepover until tomorrow morning, and this presents us with the perfect opportunity to shop freely without the constraint of explaining why we're doing Santa's shopping to your son."

Oh, God, Hotch thought with a long suffering sigh, Reid had already calculated the odds. He was doomed to wander the corridors of holiday hell for eternity.

"Look," Spencer announced excitedly as he pointed, "There's another toy store. Maybe we can find Jack's special gift there."

Groaning as he followed his enthusiastic partner toward the packed store, Hotch reminded himself that this was important to Spencer. He'd had very few chances to be actually be a child when he'd been younger. Therefore giving Jack a perfect holiday had become a mission to the younger profiler. And while they had Jack's requisite letter to Santa in their possession, Reid steadfastly insisted that there absolutely must be one unique gift under the tree that wasn't on Jack's list and that would steal his son's breath and make him believe in the miracle of Christmas.

Evidently, Santa had superlative mindreading skills at his disposal.

Shuffling down the aisles packed from floor to ceiling with the newest in juvenile delights, Aaron watched Reid's eyes cataloguing each and every option, alternately considering and discarding choice after seemingly endless choice. Closing his eyes as he heard yet another chorus of "Do You Hear What I Hear" blast through the mall's speaker system, he jumped slightly as he heard Reid's triumphant shout.

"This!" he shouted in full blown excitement. "Aaron, I've got it!" Reid called over his shoulder, straining to reach a box on the top shelf of a display at the back of the store.

Seeing the man he loved beaming a smile toward him went a long way toward soothing his inner demons as he slowly approached Spencer. "What?"

Finally reaching the elusive box, Reid pulled it down against his chest and displayed it proudly. "101 Scientific Experiments to Strain the Brain!" he enthused, his face wreathed in a gorgeous smile. "I had one when I was Jack's age. It was actually the last gift my dad gave me before he...left," he added, his voice dropping a level as he stared at the package.

Heart softening at the wistful note coloring Spencer's words, Hotch nodded. "It's perfect, Spence. He'll love it. And he'll love you for giving it to him."

"You think so?" Reid asked hopefully, looking innocently at Aaron. "I mean, I don't wanna overstep. Some of the experiments can be pretty tricky..."

"Not with you there." Hotch shook his head. "And I can guarantee you, Jack is going to demand that you be his assistant." Aaron grinned, shifting the bags in his hands.

"Okay, then!" Reid bobbed his head excitedly. "I'm going to get it now," he said, hurrying toward the harried cashier at the front of the store like the whole herd of Santa's reindeer themselves were on his heels.

Laughing softly as he trailed after him, Hotch waited at the door as Reid paid for his purchase. "Happy?" he asked when the younger man met him outside the store.

"Ecstatic," Reid said happily, his hand clutching the bag to his chest.

"Now, is it possible I might persuade you to come home with me and do some private holiday celebrating. You...me...some hot cocoa..."

Reid grinned, his eyes twinkling. "And a kiss under the mistletoe?"

"Who needs mistletoe?" Aaron murmured, covering Reid's lips for a brief moment, a mere graze of lips, but a definitive promise of more to come.

"We still have sixteen gifts," Reid reminded the elder man with a sigh.

"This afternoon I will teach you the fine art of online shopping," Hotch vowed solemnly. "No lines, no crowds, and it can be done from the comfort of our bed."

"Sold." Reid smiled as he watched Aaron's coffee colored eyes darken. "Let's go home."

And together as they made their way through the crowd, Aaron Hotchner realized the Spencer wasn't the only one that had found the perfect gift today. That dazzling smile on his lover's handsome face was better than anything he'd ever unwrap on Christmas morning.

Aaron Hotchner's perfect gift was standing right beside him.

_**Finis**_


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